This month's theme, Like Wine for Chocolate was suggested by our blogging friend Clotilde at Chocolate and Zucchini. I think it's the first time we've had a specific food pairing to try and certainly the first where we had a recipe to try to match.
When I read the announcement, I immediatly thought of my favorite chocolate compliment, Colheita Port. I have a real soft spot for ports of all kinds, and especially this vintage tawny port variety, little known outside Portugal, but readily available in the Bay Area, even at Whole Foods. I especially like Niepoort Colheita and have had many outstanding vintages. Try the Spanish Table for an excellent selection.
That being said...I didn't have time to get one, and I was out of stock at home...I did however, have a surprising treat in my cellar, a Zinfandel Port from Peachy Canyon. For a Zinfandel port, it's not really complex, but it's lovely, with simple forward zinfandel fruit, very sweet, and heady with alcohol.
I tried this with Clothilde's excellent (nearly flourless) melt-in-your-mouth chocolate cake with amazing chocolate I brought back from France from the Valrhona factory in Tain Hermitage. At 70% cocao, it's wonderfully bittersweet and makes a rich, powerful, and very yummy treat, served with a little whipped cream.
In the end, however, the Port seemed just too sweet to go with such a sweet dessert, and the best foil for it seemed to be...
Yep. A nice glass of cold milk.
I may be the only adult among my family and friends who will drink milk. I'd have as much trouble getting them to have some milk with their chocolate as I did getting them to try the Greek dessert wine I got for it.
I think there are some foods that cry out for milk. Besides chocolate, oatmeal cookies come to mind. Also some kinds of sandwiches.
Posted by: Lindy | September 11, 2005 at 04:05 AM
I couldn't agree more about preferring milk to a Port with a rich dessert. Contrast is what is needed in this circumstance and milk hits the spot.
Posted by: Johnny Ruin | September 10, 2005 at 06:46 AM
I recently discovered Valrhona while looking for better chocolate. I haven't had it yet, but I know it's one of the best. I found a web site where I can buy it, and I plan to buy some of it in late October so I can bake some delectable chocolate treats for my family. My husband and I are going into the personal chef business, and I will specialize in desserts, especially chocolate. Maybe once we become settled and have numerous clients I will be able to afford to buy Valrhona chocolate to make my desserts for the business. For the time being, I'm using Giarardelli, Lindt, and Droste. They're not bad at all.
I agree that a cold glass of milk is probably the best thing to drink with chocolate. It's comfort food.
Posted by: The Countess | September 10, 2005 at 06:36 AM